.....BUT MOST OF ALL YOU'VE LET YERSELF DOWN

2008 has not been so good on the blogging front. 1 post in one month is the worst ever yet. Sorry about that - Here are my excuses;

1) Electricity has been particularly bad this year. We have also had some rolling blackout across the country – a knock on from problems in South Africa. One evening it seems the whole of sub-Saharan Africa was blacked out. It does not bode well for the future.
2) Our e-mail servers have been hit by thunder and power surges. It is also raining a lot – too much! The e-mail system is severely interrupted during the rains and storms. We are so grateful for Kennedy “Mr. IT” Nakaanga. He does a brilliant job in very difficult circumstances.
3) We have had loads of visitors already this year. Always a great pleasure and blessing. So far they have been here from the UK, Norway, USA (x3), Denmark, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Australia.
4) A wee bout of malaria or man flu or something like that!
5) I have been a little bit distracted. We have spent a lot of time thinking and praying over our future (still!) This is tricky! We feel its right to come but as things stand we are worried about what will happen here when we go. I have spent a lot of time trying to sort out the finance for the year. It’s not looking good for 2008 but to be fair, it never does in January. This year will are going to have to raise about $300,000 outside current funding. It’s a big deal but God has been faithful in the past, it’s up to us to trust, pray and figure out a plan!
6) Just plain tired. My main ally and friend, Martin, has left for a new job in Lusaka. I am having to cover some of his tasks as well my own and others. Luke is teething so sleep is disrupted – bless him. Not a great time for resting. I am falling asleep earlier and therefore not writing or working late into the night as I used to.

So there’s my reasons – I will try to do better in February. However I have been inspired by friends John and Rochelle in Zimbabwe. Things there are not good there and the people need our prayers. Rochelle writes in a much more insightful way than me (see http://johnandrochelle.blogspot.com/ ) and gives some really great experiences of Christian living in a community and missional way. I have gone with their theme Bible verse for the year from Romans 12: 12 “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” It’s a kind of solidarity. I too hope than I can love this out.

Finally, HIV for Children in Zambia is awful, even more so when the treatment is there but the child is not able to access it due to the fears of the parents. Two weekends ago we lost so many children, among them many of the children we visited on Christmas Day and in the early days of 2008. I was so sad but felt so priviliedged so share with them on this special day. Please also pray for Dr. Elsa, who is in charge of the children’s ward. She is such a lovely Christian lady, who bring hope just by her presence. But it is an emotional and physical struggle for her. Below is a couple of pictures. One is with a child that was treated and discharged, one of the children who sadly passed away. It’s not right that the innocent die of this awful disease!

Finally, well done to the staff of Maternity, who for the first time for many years, maybe even ever, recorded a ZERO maternal mortality rate in their ward. That’s right a big fat O! So many reasons to be thankful.

P.S. HAPPY BIRTHDAY MUM

P.P.S. HAPPY BIRTHDAY - ALAN MacD